1 year old French mastiff mix prey drive/won't listen

[Shy5150]

Hello,

I have a 1 year old French Mastiff mix (mayb Great Dane or bull dog). I have him trained on the electric stem collar, mainly on tone and vibration. He was listening great until about abt 2 months ago. I could walk him without a leash and have him loose in house at night no problem. Then all of a sudden he started peeing in the house for no reason and not listing on walks. I have started to pen him up again in house and let him loose for small amounts of time and that has taken care of the peeing but his pray drive outside with cats and squirrels has gotten bad. This is my first time ever having a French Mastiff, is this prey drive normal for them? He will not listen, come or anything when he sees one. He has ran in front of cars etc. I have put him back on a leash. But am hoping it will subside soon so I can let him walk without leash.

 

[tojvan]

it will never subside, its heredetary and part of him. the only thing you can do is learn to control it through training. Both my fila and shepherd have very high prey drive.

 

[Bh-k9]

Tojvan is correct, your problem is a problem I love to have with my dogs. With prey drive you can train a dog to do anything if he has good nerves. Anything from protection sports- to competition heeling. Find something you want to do with him dock diving, protection work, hunting, anything and redirect that prey drive into what you want. The key is to work with it not against it, if he doesn't get a job to work the drive out it WILL manifest into behavior issues.

Good luck

 

[ElephantStone]

Could it be the surge of testosterone with his age ? This could be a factor in your dogs behaviour

 

[Shy5150]

Hello Everyone,
Thanks for responding!. I have always had Rotties and Pits, so this is definitely a new experience. I rescued him from a hoarder’s house when he was 4 months; he had no training, socialization etc and was scared of everything. He has done amazing so far with coming out of his shell and not being so scared. I was not expecting this high of a pray drive from him as before two months ago a squirrel or cat etc could run in front of him and he would just look and keep going, big change, LOL.
Do French mastiff's normally have a high prey drive? I am not sure what he is mixed with so am well aware it could be his other part.
I am going to try and look at maybe doing an agility course with him, nothing big, as he does not have good nerves still cowards when you yell (someone that used to own him beat him). But want to do something fun that would help control this and that he would want to do. I have started to do light jogging with him as well but nothing long as I understand he is not full grown until around 18 months or so.
Any suggestions?

 

[Hector]

I see lab in him and I don't think DDBs have high prey drive so that's the lab in it bringing it out. He might cower when you raise your voice because he is handler sensitive and not because he has weak nerves. You should get him to play some fetch, do some nosework around the house, play some tug (use a nice tug like one with some real animal fur on it), use a flirt pole or spring pole. A dog with high prey drive needs solid obedience and impulse control, so use a mark and reward system with that and teach him lots and lots of things. He looks like he would excel in agility and highly in lure coursing hahaha. Anyways, he definitely has a unique look to him.

 

[taraann81]

To me he looks as if he could be part Visla, and I beleive Visla have high prey drive.

 

[taraann81]

Maybe visla lab x

 

[DennasMom]

Denna's prey drive kicked in about the 1-year mark. The squirrels in our yard were just getting used to sauntering across the fence line, when one day - BAM! - she took out after them. They were NOT happy. HA!

We were off-leash in a neighborhood park, and I saw two ducks walking around... I was just thinking, "hmm... what will Denna do?" when they took off flying - Right up the middle of the street - with Denna hot on their heels... she ran a good 2 blocks on their tail (they flew low to keep her interest, of course) - then they swerved off into a yard, so she stopped and looked back at me with the HAPPIEST grin on her face, ever. LOL.

I'm always alert now when she's off leash to anything she might feel a need to chase... and we practice her coming to check-in often... sometimes I put the leash on, sometimes I just send her back out. So far, no more street-chases!

If she's on-leash and sees something to chase, I just tell her "no, leave it", and she does. So, her drive isn't THAT strong. With those ducks, I probably would have needed a gentle leash correction/reminder to not chase, but I don't expect it would have needed more than that.

I agree with working with the prey drive, working him more to expend that energy and trying to redirect and use it for "good".

I see some lab or vizla in there, too... I kinda miss the labby-ness of our last dog - he'd do ANYTHING you asked and try to get it right for as long as you wanted to work him.
Denna gets bored and isn't really interested in learning tricks... she'd rather nap.

 

[musicdeb]

Titan has zero prey drive. When we walk at the park, we see rabbits, horses, squirrels. He just looks at them and keeps walking. Knock on wood!

 

[NYDDB]

Mateo has a pretty strong prey drive, mostly for squirrels and occasionally birds (the few cats he has met have been pretty tough, so he usually gives them a wide berth-- and lots of respect.) He will stalk squirrels, very, very slowly, with intense focus....and then give chase (provided he's not on leash, LOL.)

It can- and should- be managed and used/directed in a positive manner....or allowed free expression. The prey drive element is either there, or not, as tojvan stated.

BTW, my last dog was a Lab- zero prey drive for any living thing. Only for balls.